


Postscript

by charleybradburies



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2018-01-01 09:03:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1042985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charleybradburies/pseuds/charleybradburies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>it's been a while; response to 9.06.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Postscript

{[x](http://jimmynovaks.tumblr.com/post/66839697425/that-ep-gave-us-so-much-opportunity-for-both), [x](http://jimmynovaks.tumblr.com/post/66839501979/assckles-cas-and-dean-spent-the-night-together), [x](http://mishcollin.tumblr.com/post/66840820328/supernaturalwanderlust-im-proud-of-you), [x](http://charleybradburies.tumblr.com/post/66835283892/fallingfromthursday-dean-just-fucking-tell-him), [x](http://charleybradburies.tumblr.com/post/66834827816/ass-full-of-cass-dean-is-totally-jealous-i))

"Sorry, we've only got one room left."

"That's o-"

"Dean, you know, you don't really need to do this. The sleeping bag I have is perfectly functional."

"Too bad. You're sleeping on a real bed tonight," Dean says, and Cas retires. Dean hands a handful of bills to the young woman, and she hands him a key and directs them to a room. They thank her and head off. The hallway is small, and their hands graze against each other. Cas reaches the room first, but Dean jumps to open the door. Both are reminded of the advice Dean had offered earlier, and make a point of not looking directly at one another. When the light is switched on it reveals a single twin-size bed in the middle of the room.

"Of course," Dean grumbles under his breath.

"Well, that's fine. I'll take the couch."

"Dean," Cas softly resists.

"What? I've got a bed. You take this one," Dean says, pulling his boots off and moving a pillow to one end of the small couch.

"No, that's not fair to you."

"Cas, come on."

"No, we can share it-"

"You sure?"

"Yes, Dean."

"Okay," Dean replies cautiously, but sits down on the edge of the bed regardless. 

"You know, you'll sleep better if it's just you."

"I'm not too sure about that," Cas says sharply. Dean, in a jerky movement, lays a serious grip on Cas' forearm.

"You're not- Cas, are you having nightmares?" he presses worriedly.

"it's not a big deal," Cas professes, but Dean can see the tears building up. He wipes one away as it travels down Cas' cheek, but then lets go. Cas takes the opportunity to undress and slip into the sheets, and Dean goes over to turn off the light. He shoots a short text to Sam, which he figures will allow for fewer questions than a phone call, and then does the same himself.

Then, he lays there, facing Cas, for nearly an hour. While he tries to sleep, he continually feels the need to check that Cas is not only safe, but still there. Once he sees the other side empty and his heart drops until he sees that Cas had left only to use the bathroom.

Sometime around two Cas starts shaking and crying, and Dean doesn't even bother to wake him up; he just pulls him closer. The contact is mutually comforting, and eventually Cas' nightmare seems to stop. Dean falls asleep a moment or two later, to find Cas sleeping facing him, pressed up against his chest.

It's almost five, and for Cas to be on time for work they'll need to leave soon, but Dean allows himself a few minutes of peace.

~

Norah sighs as she walks into the store, fully-stocked and ready for another day.

"Tell me you didn't stay the night again, please," she says, turning to the man at the cash register, whom she knows - falsely - as Steve.

"No, no. But I- my friend left early, so he dropped me off," he replies.

"Just like that? He barely even stayed a night!"

"What do you mean, just like that?"

"I- I just, you two seem very…close," she says, and his grin turns almost foolish.

"You're insinuating that we have some sort of sexual relationship."

She pauses.

"Is that- I'm sorry, it's just - you're so nice, but you don't seem to talk to anyone, you know, and-"

"No, I- I understand where you're getting that. But…no, we are not…involved like that," he interjects tenderly, but his face falls.

"Oh, I- I'm sorry, it's really not my business, is it?" she blushes, apologising profusely as she slides her bag into a compartment below the counter.

"It's all right. Really."

"No, no, I mean, it's your personal life-"

"It's all right. There's very little to tell."

A cackle can be heard from another employee, at the other end of the convenience mart. Norah turns to face them, hands angry on her hips. They withdraw into their coffee, avoiding her gaze, and she figures that she'll wait to address the fact that they are doing no work.

 _Men,_ she sighs to herself, and welcomes the morning's first customers, two regulars who pretend-flirt with her every morning - they cheerfully grab their coffee and doughnuts before asking her every question imaginable and making sure she's doing okay and only then do they make their purchases - with an instinctive smile. 

~

"This woulda been so much easier for you if you'd been a chick, huh?" a moderately wasted Kevin mutters out of nowhere. Sam doesn't even hear him, but Dean - Dean does.

"What? No, man-"

"I don't mean, like, the angel stuff. I mean, like, your angel stuff."

"Cas. You mean Cas."

"No, I mean Gabriel," Kevin retorts. 

Sam's head snaps up, but Kevin waves him off. Dean sniggers.

"Yeah…where'd that even come from?"

"I dunno, just - he keeps going on these dates, you know, with women."

Dean tries to laugh.

"It's not like that. I- I'm happy for him. Besides, this last one wasn't anything anyway."

"See, you wouldn't have even pointed that out if you weren't jealous as **fuck**."

"You know what, you're just too drunk to even try to talk about this, so….later," Dean pushes himself back to his room, feeling the pain rise as he grows closer to the edge of tears. 

"Dammit," both Sam and Kevin breathe out.

Sam stretches his hand out, and Kevin shoves a five-dollar bill into the palm.

"How long is this gonna take?" Kevin groans, and Sam sighs loudly.

"Too long, that's for sure."

"Well, yeah. I'd got that part."

Sam laughs.

"Oh, you have no idea."

~

In the middle of the day the traffic always slows down, so the phone is particularly loud when it rings inside the empty store. A grumbling employee answers, trying to field a personal call for his coworker Steve. Eventually the caller convinces him to hand the phone over, and every other employee turns to eavesdrop until Norah chides them harshly enough.

"Dean, I'm at work."

"I- I know. I just- I meant it, you know, when I said I'm proud of you. I really, really am, proud of you, okay?"

A smile sneaks across Cas' face.

"Yes, Dean. I know you meant it."

"And I- I do need you…it's not about the powers or anything, okay? I know you think that but it's-it's you, Cas."

"Hello to you too, Dean."

"What do you think about going out tonight?" Dean asks delicately after a moment of soft silence between them.

"I think I'd like that."

"I'll, uh, I'll pick you up - when should I pick you up?"

"I get off around five."

"I'll be there then, if that's okay with you."

"That sounds great, Dean."


End file.
